LOGIN~Aria's POV~Something opened its eyes inside of me.I felt it. Another heartbeat. A second consciousness. Something that had been dormant inside the depths of my soul.My hand went to my chest."Aria!" Adrian rushed to my side. I collapsed to my knees, my vision swimming.The palace faded away, and I was no longer in this chamberWhite walls surrounded me, and a woman with my face stood in front of me, but this time she wasn't smiling. She was afraid."Wake up," she whisperedI blinked, staring at her. "Who are you?"She placed both hands on my shoulders. "Listen to me," her voice shook. "Whatever happens, you will not allow her to control you.""Her?"The woman turned to look behind me. When I did as well, there was nothing there. When I turned back to her, she was gone, and the walls of this white room were shattering.I gasped as I opened my eyes, and Adrian was holding me. "Aria!"I took a deep breath, "I'm right here."His hands hovered over my face. "You weren't there.""I'm al
~Aria's POV~My own voice echoed throughout the palace."And you failed."I felt myself freeze as the ancient version of me stood off to the side of the throne, watching the opening of the Gate" Aria, don't listen!" Adrian said, stepping closer.But I couldn't help it- that voice was mine. Not similar or comparable, that was MY voiceThe darkness within the Gate stirred, and a woman walked out.My face, my eyes, my body, only this version of myself looked impossibly serene, and her hands were stained with blood. A crown of black metal rested atop her head, a silver crescent pendant hanging from her neck. It was the same pendant I remembered on my mother's person.My mother was the one who wore it."Who are you?" I breathed.She smiled. "You."I shook my head. "No."" Yes," she said, taking slow steps towards me. "because I am the Aria who remembered."The ancient version of myself stepped aside. "This is what you have forgotten."I stared at the woman who looked just like me. "Why?"
~Aria's POV~I stared at the throne. The Creator. 2 words, carved into black stone.They shouldn't have scared me. But they did, because Lyra had seen it. And apparently, so had I."You died there?" Adrian asked.Lyra nodded, her blue eyes fixed on the throne. "In the future you showed me."I turned my gaze to her. "You were there?""I was.""What happened?"Lyra's throat bobbed up and down. "You sat down.""And?""The Gate opened.""What came through?"Lyra shook her head. "Not something."I swallowed hard. "Then what?""Everything."The palace shuddered. The walls cracked. Cael was watching us with a serene smile. "You've reached the end of your choices, Aria."I turned to him. "No." His smile vanished. "I haven't."I took a step closer to the throne Adrian seized my wrist. "Don't."I turned to him. "If I don't sit there, what happens?""The Gate remains unstable.""And Lyra?"She was looking at the throne, tears already slipping down her cheeks. "She dies."I turned back to the thr
~Aria's POV~I couldn't move.The woman in the memory was me. Not a version of me. MeShe stood under the silver tree with a newborn Lyra in her arms. The first Adrian stood beside her. And he said the words that made my blood run cold"She isn't our daughter."My heart pounded in my chest. "What do you mean?"Nobody answeredI turned to the first Adrian. He avoided my gaze"Tell me."His jaw tightened. "You aren't ready""I am""No." His voice was firm this time"I said, tell me!"The palace shook at the force of my voiceThe memory shifted. The woman holding Lyra glanced at me. She smiled. Then she pulled the baby closer to her chest.A black mark covered her chest. I gasped. It was the mark that had appeared on Lyra in the temple. The Heir mark. However, there was something else. Something strange. A crescent moon, with three small circles surrounding it. Strange. I'd never seen such a mark beforeShe trailed her finger over the mark, and suddenly, Lyra was cryingI took a step for
~Aria's POV~My first husbandThe words echoed in my headas I stared into the face of the man who stood beside the crystal throne. The same facial structure, the same eyes, and the same voice. But something in him was colder, more aged, and more powerful. It was also familiar.Adrian moved forward. "Don't come any closer."The other Adrian smiled. "You still protect her."Adrian's claws unsheathed. "Who are you?""I already told you." He turned to me. "I was hers first."My stomach twisted. I turned to Cael. "Is this another lie?"Cael shook his head. "No.""Then who is he?""The first soul you ever created."I turned my gaze to the man. "The first Soul King?"He nodded. "You called me Adrian."My breath caught. "You gave me that name?""Yes.""Why?"He looked at me, and his expression softened. "Because you wanted someone to choose you."I saw a vision- a small room. A younger version of myself cradling a small baby. The boy's tiny hand wrapped around my finger. "Adrian," I whispere
~Aria's POV~The darkness consumed everything. There was nothing. No ground. No sky. No sound.I couldn't feel my body. I couldn't hear Adrian's hand beside my own."Adrian!"I shouted into the void but my voice dissapeared."ARIA!"Adrian's voice was far away.I reached out to him but there was nothing. "Adrian!""I'm here!"I followed his voice until a silver glow in the distance appeared. I ran towards it.As I got closer, the glow became brighter until I could see Adrian falling. I caught his hand.His eyes met mine and he smiled. "I thought I lost you.""You won't."He pulled me closer. "Where are we?""I don't know."There was a sound like a heartbeat echoing in the darkness.Thump. Thump. Thump.Adrian's expression changed. "You hear that?""Yes."Another heartbeat sounded.This time the beat was coming from me. I put a hand over my heart.Adrian stared at me. "Aria.."The darkness dissapeared and we were on the ground. I looked around, surprised.A city towered over us. A livi







